Dwayne Johnson might not be the most versatile actor out there, but he’s certainly one of the most popular stars, and not even Black Adam’s underwhelming performance at the box office seems to have dented his reputation. In fact, he recently became the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, having received a fee in the region of $50 million for his role in the Christmas-themed film, Red One.
One of the big reasons behind the professional wrestler-turned-actor’s success is just how seamlessly he has swapped wrestling arenas with movie sets. He was always a showman, who attracted plenty of eyeballs with his quirky catchphrases and entertaining interviews, and throughout his time in Hollywood, Johnson has ensured to keep his charismatic personality and extraordinary physicality intact.
Rather than following the footsteps of traditional actors, he did what he used to do best in the WWF, and the roles have kept coming. And the dominance of the action genre at the box office has meant, not just Johnson, but other big guys are also in demand more than ever.
Why John Cena Owes His Hollywood Career to Dwayne Johnson
John Cena is another wrestler-turned-actor who has more or less walked on the same path as Dwayne Johnson, and has accordingly enjoyed great success. This year alone, he has already appeared in three high-profile movies: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Barbie, and Fast X.
During their glory days of the WWF, Cena and The Rock used to be part of many fan debates, which also resurfaced when he entered the Fast and Furious franchise as Jako Toretto, another big guy to join Dominic Toretto’s hands in the absence of Johnson’s Luke Hobbs. However, behind the scenes, the pair share mutual respect.
In an interview with GQ, the 46-year-old even credited his former WWE rival for breaking down barriers for actors like him. He said:
“He’s broke down so many stereotypes shattered so many barriers. He allowed the outside public to be like, yeah, these WWE guys, they may be on to something none of those opportunities happen without him by doing what he’s done with class and professionalism has given an opportunity to folks like me, where people like yeah, okay, well, I’ll take a chance on John. I don’t think Dwayne understands the impact he’s had on an entire industry of people.”
With Johnson all set to make his comeback in Fast and Furious, the writers of the saga have a great opportunity to put the two WWF legends on the same screen for the first time in Hollywood and realize the magic of their combined potential.
What Dwayne Johnson Advised John Cena Before Trainwreck
Cena got his first feature film appearance in 2006, starring as John Triton in the action movie The Marine, but things started to really click for the wrestler in Hollywood after his hilarious performance in the $140.8 million box office hit, Trainwreck in 2015.
Before he got the part in the comedy movie, Cena got in touch with Johnson for some suggestions. He recalled the conversation (via GQ):
“When I got the audition for Trainwreck. The audition process is scary for me like it is for most people, and it is a business of failure. You got to be used to getting told you’re not the right fit. And I really wanted this one, and deadpan was just like, ‘Just be yourself, man. They called you in for a reason. Just be who you are,’ and I was.”
Johnson’s advice has worked wonders for Cena so far. In less than two weeks, the latter will be back on the big screen with his new movie Freelance, playing the role of former special forces operative Mason Pettis.
Read more: Is John Cena Richer Than Marvel Star Dave Bautista? Net Worth Comparison Reveals Startling Result
Source: GQ
